Combined shock absorber and spring lubricator



Sept. 1929. W H, SPAYD 1,728,085

COMBINED SHOCK ABSORBER AND SPRING LUBRICATOR Filed July 28. 1927 will' y Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

'WALKER H. SPAYD, OF VAN WERT, OHIO.

Application filed July 28,

The invention relates to a new and improved device for effectively lubricating the leaves of a vehicle, spring and at the same time holding a number of said leaves together with sufiicient friction to effectively absorb shocks which would otherwise take place.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the class set forth provided with novel means for securing it .in place upon a spring.

Another aim is to make unique provision to compensate for the extra space which exists in the device when it is applied to only three spring leaves instead of four, or to some other relatively small number of leaves instead of a larger number.

A still further object is to provide a novel arrangement of capillary pads or Wicks for feeding oil to the spring leaves from an oil receptacle which also acts as retaining means for a spring which frictionally holds the spring leaves in contact with each other.

A still further object is to make novel provision for packing the oil receptacle against entrance of dust and other foreign matter.

Yet another aim is to provide a device which will be rather simple and inexpensive, may be easily applied and will be very etlicient and durable.

lVith the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the application of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the vehicle spring and side elevation of the shock absorber and lubricator, as indicated by line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. i is a vertical sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an additional vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 arel horizontal sectional COMBINED SHOCK ABsoRBER AND SPRING LUBRICATOR.

1927. Serial No. 209,019.

views on the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the T-shaped capillary wicks or pads.

The drawing above briefly described illustrates a construction which has in actual service, proven to be desirable from all standpoints and exceptionally efficient. Hence, this construction may be considered as representing the preferred form of the invention, with the understanding however that within the scope of such invention as claimed, variations may be made.

The device embodies an oil receptacle l() which is preferably of cylindrical form and open at its upper end. This upper end is provided with a continuous laterally pro* jecting flange 11 which is preferably of substantially square outline, as seen in Fig. 7. Integral with and rising from opposite side portions of the flange 11, are two parallel vertical flanges 12 to straddle a number of the leaves of a vehicle spring 13. Between the upper portions of these fianges 12, a block 14 is provided to overlie the spring 13, opposite edges of said block being formed with ribs 15 receivable in grooves 16 in the inner sides of the flanges 12, when the block is horizontally slid into position between said flanges. These co-acting ribs and grooves hold the flanges 12 and block 11i against relative vertical movement, and relative horizontal movement of these parts is prevented by a bolt 17. This bolt is receivable in a transverse groove 18 formed in the lower side of the block 14 and its ends pass through openings 19 in the flanges 12, the bolt being preferably threaded into one of these openings as shown in Fig. 5. The lowermost portion of the bolt 17 is either flush with or somewhat above the lower side of the block 14; so that when four leaves of the spring 13 are received between the receptacle 10 and the block, the latter may rest directly upon the uppermost leaf. However, when the device is applied to only three leaves of a spring as herein disclosed, a filler plate 2O is positioned under the block 14 to occupy the space which would otherwise exist. The upper side of this plate is formed with a rib 21 whose upper portion is grooved as at 22 to engage the bolt 17, in which connection, it will be observed that this bolt is spaced from the opposite side walls of the groove 18. To decrease weight and economize in material, the plate 2() may well `be provided with a central opening 23.

A heavy,y coiled, compression spring 24 is vertically positioned in the oil receptacle to force uinvardly upon the spring 13 and downwardly upon said receptacle, thus tightly holding the leaves of said spring in contact with each other. he lower end of t iis spring rests upon a plate 25 .preferably having an upstanding, spring-received stud 9.6 at its upper .side and a shallow socket 2T in its lower side. An adjusting screw 2S is threaded through the lower end of the oil receptacle 10 and engages the socket 27, permitting the strength of the spring Q/-l 'to be varierL as occasion may demand.

rhe inner opposed sides of the ,flanges 12 are formed with shallow recesses 29 and the inner side of the oil receptacle 10 is formed with vertical grooves 30 leading downwardly from said recesses. T-shaped capillary pads or wiclrs such as that shown in Fig. 8, have their head portions il received in the recesses 29 and their shank portions 3Q received in the grooves 30, fluidproof glue or cement being en'iployed in most instances to hold said heads and shanlis in place. Thus, the wicks or pads 31-32 served by capillarity, to feed oil from the receptacle 10 to the edges of the spring leaves so that it may permeate between them to produce effective lubrication, thus insur easy action of the spring, even though leaves are bound frictionally together by means of the device.

To exclude dirt, mud and the like from the oil receptacle 10. l provide paclrings 33 extending between the vertical edges of the flanges 12 for contact with the lower side of the spring 13, these parkings being held in grooves 311 in the portions of the flange 1 which extend between said flanges 12.

To apply the devi e, the bolt 17 is removed, permitting horizontal sliding of the bloclr la from the space between the flanges 12. Then, the entire device may be upwardly forced that the rflanges 12 straddle the spring 13, the screw 28 being then loosened to permit the necessary upward movement of the device for the purpose of allowing sertion of the bloclr 14. with ease,` and positioning also of the plate 2() if the latter to be used. The bolt is now re-positioned i when this is done, the screw 28 is tightened, thereby placing the spring .f2/l under compression. This screw may be so adjusted as to obtain the desired amount of friction between the spring leav f thus insuring ei;- ccllent riding ipialities the machine as well as effective `uibriczfition of the spring. As the vehicle spring 13 flexes, the upper leaf which engagen the plate Q0 or the block la as the case may be, and the lower leaf which engages the spring Qel, necessarily have .seine relative longitudinal movement. During this movement, the spring 2l has a rocle ing motion which is permitted by the engagement of the plate 25 with the rounded upper end of the set screw 28. By allowing the spring to roclr in this manner, its upper end does not have to slide upon the lower leaf of the vehicle spring, and consequently said spring will remain in proper relation with the other parts ,of the device.

.its above stated, the construction herein specifically described, is preferable. l-lowever, attention is again invited to the fact that within the scc-pe of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

ttention is invited to the fact that the receptacle 10 and its side flanges 1Q., together with the spring 24 and its connection with said receptacle, constitute a yoke structure cooperating with the fastener 17 and the grooved plate 20 in yieldably holding `the leaves of the vehicle spring in contact with each other, hence acting as a shock absorber, even though the lubricating feature of the invention be eliminated.

I claim:

1. A. combined shock absorber and spring lubricator comprising an oil receptacle provided atits upper end with upstanding flan-ges to straddle a spring, a block hori- Zontally insertable between said flanges to overlie the spring, said flanges and block having inter-engaged ribs and grooves to hold them against relative vertical movement, means for holdingsaid flanges and `loclr against relative horizontal movement, spring means in said receptacle for forcing upwardly on the spring and downwardly on the receptacle, and capillary means for feeding oil from the receptacle to the spring.

2. A combined shoclr absorber and spring lubricator comprising an oil receptacle pr0- vided at its upper end with upstanding flanges to straddle a spring, a block insertible between said flanges to overlie the spring, inter-engaging means on said block and flanges for holding them against relative vertical movement, the lower side of said block being formed with a transverse groove and said flanges being provided with openings at the ends of said groove, a bolt passing through said openings and said groove, a plate underlying said bloclr and having a rib received in said groove and contacting with the lower side of said bolt, spring means in said receptacle for forcing upwardly on the spring and downwardly on the receptacle, and capillary means for feeding oil from the receptacle to the spring.

3. A combined shocl; absorber and spring lubricator comprising an oil receptacle rovided at its upper end with upstan ing flanges to straddle a spring, a bolt passing through said flanges to extend transversely over the spring, a plate underlying said bolt to lie upon the spring, the upper side of said plate having a groove receiving the lower side of said bolt, spring means in the receptacle to force upwardly on the spring and downwardly on the receptacle, an capillary means in said receptacle for feeding oil to the spring.

4. A combined shock absorber and spring lubricator comprising an oil receptacle having an open upper end, provided with a continuous laterally projecting flange at said upper end and provided also with two spaced vertical flanges rising from two opposite side portions of said lateral flange to straddle a spring, the portions of said lateral flange between said vertical flanges being formed with grooves, packings in said grooves to contact with the lower side of the spring, the inner sides of said vertical flanges being formed with shallow recesses T-shaped wicks having their head portions receive in said recesses and their shank portions disposed in said oil receptacle, means between the upper ends of the vertical flanges to lie upon the spring, and spring means in the receptacle to force downwardly on the latter and upwardly on the sprinff.

5. A device of the class described comprising a yoke structure embodying a member to abut a vehicle spring leaf, and side portions to straddle the spring, a fastener passing through said side portions, and a plate member between said side portions to abut the spring leaf opposite that above mentioned, said plate member having a groove receiving said fastener, one of' said members being in the form of' a spring to yieldably hold the leaves of the vehicle spring in Contact with each other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

VALKER H. SPAYD. 

